Jeep Wrangler JK Steering Noise Fix - Chatter Matters

Other sounds are just plain annoying. Doug Misch, proprietor of Misch 4x4, has a daily driver JK with a 2-inch lift that made a weird chatter when it hit seams in the road. The sound and vibration only happened when he was driving straight. “So I decided to solve my own problem,” he says.

The kit consists of two steel collars secured to the steering shaft by cap screws. Side force is created when the spring is stretched between the collars.

Since the chatter didn’t happen during side-loads (such as cornering or in a crosswind), Misch narrowed the problem to the steering, specifically the slip joint. The problem seemed worse in hot weather, so he guessed that the steering shaft halves expand at different rates. Packing the slip joint with grease proved to be a temporary fix.

Misch’s ultimate solution is a simple system that uses a spring to apply a constant sideload on the slip joint.

Not all JKs seem to suffer from this chatter/unwanted steering feedback—which isn’t a safety concern. However, JK owners who are afflicted by this weird noise now have an inexpensive and easy cure.

Step By Step

The Misch 4x4 Chatter Eliminator Kit curtails steering mischief. It’s a simple system that maintains a slight side-load on the steering shaft assembly. The kit’s Nylon Patch cap screws are included to retain torque in the shaky environment.

The job begins by spinning the steering wheel 180 degrees. The larger collar is installed on the shaft centersection’s upper yoke. A 3⁄8-inch Allen bit on an extension with a ratchet works better than this folding wrench set.

An 8-inch gap between the collars creates the necessary spring tension. Make sure that the smaller collar’s spring hole is aligned with the bigger collar’s, then torque its screws to spec.

Stretch and secure the spring in the collars’ holes. The spring’s flat part clears the slip-joint’s boot.